Max von Stephanitz and SV??? - Page 2

He may have judged shows until 1932 or 1933

 

SGR VA Odin vom Stolzenfels 01 Jan 1933,
SGR VA Hussan vom Haus Schütting 01 Jan 1932,

these may have been the last two dogs that Max would have picked as the best......

What I see here is not a working dog nor a present day conformation dog

Looks like BOTH sects of the german shepherd lovers are going down the wrong trail.

According to a post by Abhay on the PDB, von Stephanitz ran afoul of the Nazis, and narrowly escaped the concentration camp.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/142338.html

HItler became German Chancellor in 1933, which coincides with the dates given above for what MAY have been Stephanitz's last judging assignment.

I've read a more detailed biography of Max onlne,but can't  find it. I do remember he died in bed. I think he had to flee Germany during the war.

Edited to add: Okay one of the articles linked by Abhay says Max died the year after he stepped down as the head of the SV. That means he was active with the SV until 1935.

http://www.naiaonline.org/issues/Passion_to_Survive.htm

If Max was allowed to determine which dog was sieger then he would have been wanting the breed to go in this direction

Jalk vom Pagensgrüb 01 Jan 1935,
VA Cuno vom Georgentor 01 Jan 1934,

Interesting that the last 4 champions were much heavier of body then many of the previous ones.

Interesting Sita's mom,  it seems all lines are heading down the same wrong trail just at a different  pace. 


Nice looking dogs.  I sure prefer those stacks to our current ones.

 

As a side note, John, I just about had a heart attack when I got to your post, did you forget to take your meds?

the first few champoins looked very much different then the last for the Max picked. I have to wonder if this had to do with needing larger stronger dogs for the war effort. the first few years the dogs were not very consistent, the skinny street dog had been weeded out by the 1920's.

VA Aribert von Grafrath 01 Jan 1904,
VA Roland Park (fr. vom Golsteintal) 01 Jan 1903,
VA Peter von Pritschen 01 Jan 1902,
VA Hektor von Schwaben 01 Jan 1901,
VA Hektor von Schwaben 01 Jan 1900,
VA Jörg von der Krone 01 Jan 1899,

From what I understand, the SV had members of the Nazi party as members and they continuously interferred with the decisions Max was making.  He was ultimatly threated with turning over the SV to the Nazi Party or being sent to a concentration camp for bring subversive to the wishes of the Party.  He "gave up the fight" and retired.

There is a story of the Sieger Show following his death where all the working dogs were brought out onto the field and did a "Gib Laut" in unison in salute of the founder.(The Complete German Shepherd by Milo Denlinger, 1946).  What an appropriate memorial.

Max passed away April 22, 1936, the 37th anniverary of the founding the SV, so the '35 date is most likely correct.

Thanks for the great into.....

If we look at the progression of Siegers from the beginning to the last year in which he judged, what trends do we see? Had Max lived for another 50 or 80 years and been the presiding judge, what would our GSD's look like today?

One thing for certain, the wouldn't be required to stack in the silly pose that do today.

looks like he was starting to favor the sadles and a larger build, Hector was definatly a larger build.  I agree on the poseing and the longer croup.  Heads were not near as masuline as we are seeing today.  I think we would see more of the V rated working dogs had he continued today, with a lack of blues, white and livers.  I don't think there would be a bias toward the sadles or against the sables (or other colors).  I think they would all have a foghting chance to be VA rated.  I think temperments would be better all around, more the "golden middle" idea that has been abandoned.

In a lot of ways it would be impossible to predict what he would have implimented given the advances we have today with ultrasound, x-ray, and genetic testing not to metion the problems that have evolved with breed specific laws that could in the long run, prohibit the training of bite work or cause liability issues the average handler can't afford.  Even now if your dog nips the mailman and you have been training him or her to bite, your liability is extremely high.

 
this is a v rated working dog champ. I don't think this was what Max was breeding for either.

This dog also has a wedge shape that is missing from all of the other photos........Is it ths pose or the dog?
This dog is also much thinner the the last few winners that Max most likely choose.

 

I find it interesting that Klodo (1925)  and Pfeffer  (1937&1938) were sold to the US.  There was also an Utz (1929), a Klodo son.

According to Strickland's "The German Shepher Today" pg. 10 Max said of Utz and Klodo:

"the pitures of the various Klodo and Utz children and grandchildren show clearly how well their blood prevailed over that of different mothers.  Through all those sons, daughter and grandchildren, goes one great leading line: a strong, efficient, deep and stretched servicable body build combined with nobility of appearance and uniform expression".

Pfeffer did not achieve the VA Sieger till after Max's death, and apparently had the most influence on the American GSD breeders in the '20's.  Several sources seem to indicate that the depression caused the sale of the best of Germanies stock to other countries and the inported dog we see today is a "re-built" dog.